Dreaming of Starlight
by Cecil Manzi
Summary: Celia Anderson has always had dreams about a strange boy named Edward Elric. One day, the dreams just stopped. Since then, Celia's world has been spiraling downhill and the only thing she finds comfort in is the anime Fullmetal Alchemist about the very boy she once dreamed about. She longs to go to Edward's world and now, she has and she can change Amestris for the better. Ed/OC
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

She was very young when the dreams started. At first, they were nothing more than glimpses. A head of blonde hair here. Two amber eyes there. Maybe the occasional soft and childish smile. Then, around the age of six, her dreams changed from small glimpses to interactions with the boy that had haunted her mind for so long. She can still clearly remember their first conversation.

_"Who are you?"_

_He looked up over at her from the picture he was drawing with a stick in the dirt. "I'm Edward."_

_She couldn't help but smile, "I'm Celia."_

It was such a short conversation, but something about it comforted Celia Anderson. Over time, the conversations became longer. The two of them started learning every last detail about each other. He told her about science he called alchemy. She would listen with great interest, able to follow along perfectly because she too was a child prodigy. She would tell him about her little sister, Willow; he would speak about his own little brother, Alphonse. Every night, they'd recount everything that would happen to them.

Celia found it something she looked forward to. She didn't have many friends; most people at school called her a freak. To her, Edward was her hero, her knight in shining armor, a shoulder to cry on. She discovered his short temper while he learned about her shy disposition. There was no stranger friendship.

Still, a friendship it was. Many years passed as they became closer and closer. She was there for him when his mother died, when he met his teacher. She was even the first person aside from Alphonse he had told about his plans to do human transmutation. Something about it didn't seem right to Celia and she tried to persuade him from it. He didn't listen. The next time she had seen him, he was without an arm or a leg. She didn't comment on it, simply comforted him.

Then, the dreams suddenly stopped. Celia was heartbroken. She would fall asleep and not a single dream would come to her. To make things worse, things at school were becoming even more rocky. The twelve year old girl could barely handle the bullying thrown at her. She blocked out everyone, including her constantly bickering parents. The only person she kept close to her was Willow, her kid sister by two years.

Her parents separated. Their father got Willow and their mother, Celia. Celia was forced to stay in the town she hated so much. She wanted some kind of comfort, anything. That was when she found it.

_Fullmetal Alchemist._

When she watched it, she couldn't help but think of Edward, the boy she had been friends with in her dreams. She thought it must have only been a coincidence, but she knew it wasn't. Everything matched her memory perfectly. It was almost too much for her to bear. She wanted so badly to go away from this world and into the world of FMA, just to be with Edward again; to be with the one person aside from Willow that had made her happy.

And, on her sixteenth birthday, that wish came true.


	2. One: It's Begun

**One: It's Begun**

I wish I could say it was unusual to wake up when my mom was still asleep, some man's arm draped over her. I really do wish I could, but I don't like lying. I walked through the kitchen as quietly as possible, trying to avoid the beer bottles strewn about. I doubted Mom even knew it was my birthday. To her, it was probably just another Saturday. Not that I minded, to be honest. She'd try to throw me a big party with a bunch of people that I don't like.

Oh well. Maybe I'd go buy myself a cupcake or something to celebrate. After I grabbed the last bottle of water out of the fridge and grabbed a doughnut out of my secret stash, I made my way back to my room. If you entered it after walking through my house, you would probably think you teleported somewhere else. My room was clean, orderly, not a stain on the carpet, not a wrinkle on the bed sheets. When my mom's "friend" left, I would most likely go downstairs and clean up the house. My eyes unwillingly drifted away from admiring my room to looking at the single poster pinned up.

It wasn't very large, but it was all I needed. I sighed softly, "I wonder what you're up to right now, Ed."

I flopped down in my desk chair and started up my computer. To my surprise, the was one single email alert. Curious, I clicked it.

Do you ever feel as though you were born in the wrong world?

"All the time," I mumbled to myself, closing the alert.

Suddenly, my screen started glitching out. I leaned in closer to it and was about to bend down to see what the hell was wrong when black tendrils reached out of the screen towards me. I let out a small scream when the latched onto me. They pulled me towards the screen.

My door suddenly flew open and my mom crashed into my room, wielding a wine bottle. "What-" she saw me and screamed.

I reached out to her and she nearly grabbed me when there was a bright flash and she was gone. Everything was gone. The entire world had faded to black.

* * *

><p>Flashes. A child throwing a ball. Blue lightning. A hand reaching out.<p>

* * *

><p>White.<p>

* * *

><p>Flashes. Blue sky. An empty suit of armor. A young girl sobbing.<p>

* * *

><p>Blackness.<p>

* * *

><p>"If it's a cat, leave it alone," a voice cut through the darkness, steadily coming closer.<p>

The first sensation that came to me was something wet steadily dropping on my face. It only took me a few seconds to realize it was rain. Then, the smell of a city drenched in water. A lonely mew from somewhere above me and a single howl blocks away. "Brother, it's a person," an echoed voice responded.

"What?" an oddly familiar voice said, his voice laced with skepticism. "Probably some drunk."

"It's a girl, Brother," the echoing voice said. His voice sounded so childish. So young... What was he doing out in the rain?

I eased my eyes open to see a pair of black boots in front of me along with what looked like a suit of armor kneeling next to me. Armor? In the middle of a city? How strange... I briefly wondered what they were going to do to me. I wanted to fight back, but my body wouldn't move. Oh god, I ached... Did someone drop me out of a window or something? The suit of armor reached out and pushed my hair our of my face. A gasp quickly followed as the black boots stumbled back. "It can't be," the person muttered. It was a male, definitely a male."Impossible."

"Brother?" the child-like voice questioned.

The black boots hit the adjacent wall and the person slowly slid down until I could see their face. Through my half-lidded gaze, I could make out the blonde hair and the amber eyes. So familiar. My eyes shot open completely as I pushed myself up, "Edward?"

He simply stared at me, before slowly nodding, "Yes, Celia. It's me."

I tried to sit up completely, wincing when a sharp pain shot through my skull. Edward was in front of me in a second. He took off his coat as he helped me up. The warm fabric found it's way around my shoulders, only just now making me realize how cold I was. Alphonse, in a suit of armor, looked between the two of us in confusion. "You're bleeding," Edward told me, his warm human hand touching my cheek. When he pulled away, there was blood on it. "How did you get here?" he whispered in a hiss, using wiping away the blood as a cover.

I looked around, hoping for some clue. "I-I don't know..."

"Brother, do you know her?" Alphonse asked, his gaze not leaving my face. His red eyes were penetrating. I swore he could see into my soul.

I drew Ed's coat closer to me, wondering what his response would be. "Yes," Edward said with a small pause. "We met at the library. This is Celia Anderson"

That was a believable lie. Alphonse believed his brother and he nodded. He turned his gaze back to me, "We should get you out of this rain. Where do you live?"

"Nowhere..." I mumbled and the suit of armor tilted his head slightly. "I-I mean, I got kicked out of the inn I was staying at..."

"Why?"

My mind did what it always did with awkward situations. It analyzed it and came up with the best solution. "I got robbed and when I tried to explain to the manager, he kicked me out..." I said, adding a tone of remorse at the end.

"Oh, that's terrible."

Edward helped me to my feet, sending an electric jolt through my body. I'm Edward.

I'm Celia.

He let go of my hand with an awkward cough, "You can stay with us for now."

The younger Elric nodded, "Yep!"

I was about to respond when I sneezed softly. Edward rubbed my back, the motion barely noticeable to his younger brother. "I hope you're not getting sick."

"I hope so too," I muttered. Just my luck to get sick in another world.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long until I found myself in the Elric apartment, sitting on the couch and wrapped up in blankets as I drank a cup of tea. My cheek was bandaged and I still wondered how I had cut myself. Well, I was wondering more about how the hell I was in freaking Amestris. Edward sat on the coffee table in front of me while Alphonse sat in a chair near me. The walk had been silent and only a few words had been exchanged since we got here. Ed looked at his younger brother, "Can you give a moment?"<p>

Alphonse bobbed his armor head, "I'll go get something for Celia to eat."

"Thank you," I mumbled as he left the apartment. The moment he shut the door, I jumped out of the blankets and glomped Edward. We fell off the coffee table, landing on the floor. He returned the hug with just as much affection as I did. For a few minutes, we just laid there like that; I never wanted to let go of him again. Tears stung my eyes, but I forced them back. "I thought I had lost you," I whispered, my voice cracking. I was going to cry. I knew I was going to cry.

"I know what you mean," he replied.

I buried my face in the crook of his neck. He was warm. He was so warm and it made me feel warm too. "I missed you so much. Oh god, I missed you. Please, don't ever leave me again. Don't leave me by myself..."

His flesh hand smoothed down my hair as his automail one rubbed small circles on my back. "I won't leave you, Celia. I never wanted to leave you. You, Al, and Winry were the only things that kept me sane. I won't leave again. I promise," he said softly.

In that moment, I believed him. I pushed myself up, rubbing the tears away from my eyes. "God, I must look like a mess."

We sat up and he touched my cheek. He was still questioning if I was there. Heck, I was still questioning if I was really here. "I can't believe you're really here right now," he told me.

Unconsciously, I leaned into the warmth of his hand, "Neither can I."

The doorknob turned and I jumped back, scrambling onto the couch. Ed picked himself off the floor as Al walked in, holding a covered bowl. The scent coming from it suggested soup of some kind. My stomach grumbled. "This was all I could find," he said, holding out to me.

I accepted it silently, suddenly feeling shy. I knew Ed well, he was one of the few people I felt comfortable with. Alphonse, on the other hand, I only knew from Ed's stories and the ani- Holy shit! Was I in the anime? Maybe there was time for me to save Nina. I looked at Ed, "Does the name Shou Tucker mean anything to you?"

Al suddenly became rigid as Ed's eyes darkened. My heart dropped; I was too late. I God dammit, I couldn't have come before it was too late? I reached out, setting my hand on top of Ed's. He smiled sadly at me before raising an eyebrow, "How do you know about that bastard?"

Big mistake... I winced, "I read about him in the news. Arrested for something... I don't remember what they said it was. I hope it wasn't anything terrible."

They were silent as I ate the soup, Ed was obviously still curious about how I knew who Tucker was. He knew when I was lying, he always knew. Before I could stop it, a yawn escaped me. "You must be exhausted," Ed said, helping me stand. "Actually, I think it's time we all go to bed."

"I'll sleep out here," Al said and I realized he didn't know I knew about the human transmutation and about his body. Edward barely shook his head at me to tell me not to say anything. I nodded. It might freak him out if I mentioned it.

Ed led me to his room. I sat on the bed. I was about to lie down when Edward started to walk away. Panicking, I reached out and latched onto his shirt. What if, when he left, I'd wake up and this was nothing but a dream. I couldn't lose him so soon after finding him again. He looked back at me, concerned and confused at the same time. "D-don't leave me..." I whispered, my eyes downcast. "Please."

Ed's hand found mine again and he sat down next to me. "I'll stay here until you fall asleep," he offered.

I nodded and laid down, pulling the blanket close to me. His pillow smelled like him, and I took comfort in that fact. I snuggled in deeper. When I looked back up at Ed, a small blush was dancing on his face. "Don't go falling in love with me," I teased.

He mumbled something to himself under his breath that I couldn't hear. A few moments passed before I placed my hand over his, "Tell me a story."

"I don't know any good ones," he replied.

My eyes fluttered closed, "Just one..."

"Fine," he sighed. "Once upon a time..."

* * *

><p><em>Third Person POV<em>

When Alphonse walked in at eight in the morning to wake his brother up for the day, he was surprised to find one of the beds empty. His eyes slowly ventured over to the other bed, where the girl Celia was curled up under the sheets. Next to her was Edward on top of the covers, his hand curled around hers. Their foreheads were lightly pressed against each others and their breathing in sync. It was a strange sight indeed, both of them looking so small and childlike. Alphonse knew that Celia had to be more than someone his older brother had met at the library.

He had noticed the intimacy the two of them had shared the night before, like they had known each other for years. Celia suddenly winced and as if they were experiencing the same dream, Edward moved closer to her. She sighed, her body relaxing. Alphonse watched them for a moment. They were so synchronized, it was scary. It was like they shared some strange, almost unnatural bond. Something about Celia Anderson wasn't right to Al, and it was unlike him to be wary of anyone, like it was unusual for Edward to be so comfortable around someone.

Without a single word, Alphonse walked out of the room. If his brother trusted her, that was good enough. She was going to need some new clothes though. He spared one more glance at Celia and Edward. She could be good to have around.

Even so, he had to wonder who she was and what she was doing here.

* * *

><p>Somewhere far away, something smiled wickedly. <em>It's begun.<em>


	3. Two: The Odd Life of Celia Anderson

**Two: The Odd Life of Celia Anderson**

I woke up before Edward. Before Edward... It was so strange to say something like that, even if it was in my mind. I never actually thought he'd be close enough for me to reach out and touch him. That's exactly what I did. I smoothed some of his golden hair away from his face. His eyes fluttered open and I jumped back.

There was that brief moment of confusion in his eyes before they cleared up. He bolted up and he leaned in close to me. I blinked back at him, dearly hoping I didn't have bad morning breath. Willow told me I smelled like a dragon after a meal when I wake up. I probably looked horrible too. I felt horrible, that's for sure, like I'd been run over by a truck.

A sigh escaped Edward's lips and he yanked me into a hug. "Thank god, it wasn't a dream."

I leaned into his hug. How could anything this real be a dream? Eventually, we pulled away. I bit my lip and looked away, "C-can I use your bathroom?"

"Oh, of course," he answered with a blush.

We crawled off the bed and walked towards the door. I attempted to push it open, only to knock over a plastic bag. Clothes poured out of it. Dresses. Nothing lacy or fancy, just simple dresses. I picked up one with a button up front. In the corner of my eye, I saw a package of underwear and I hurriedly stuffed it back into the bag. Ed walked over to the coffee table, picking up the piece of paper on it. "Went to get some breakfast. Hope those clothes fit Celia."

A blush spread across my face when I realized he bought all of the clothes. "T-that was nice of Alphonse," I murmured.

Ed nodded, "That's my brother for you. Um... You can take a shower, if you want..."

I diverted my gaze before picking up the bag and walking mechanically over to the bathroom. The moment I closed the door, I sighed. This is what I had wanted, but I never realized how awkward it might have been. Last night, I was just caught up in the moment. I met Ed again. I saw his face. It was amazing, but now it was so much more real. What would Alphonse do when he realized I had nowhere to go, that I was more than a person Edward had met at the library...?

For a few minutes, I fumbled with the shower knobs, which were much different than the one's at home. Home... My mother was probably freaking out. She had seen me get pulled into my laptop by those- Black hands! Oh my god! My breathing quickened and I felt like I was going to be sick. I raced over to the toilet, dry heaving. A knock came at the door and I looked at it. "Are you okay, Celia?" Edward questioned in a concerned voice.

"Yeah..." I called back and forced myself off the ground.

He stood in front of the door for a few more seconds before walking away. With a deep sigh, I stripped off my clothes. The only things I had from home. My hand went up to the necklace around my throat, where I had the same flamel that Ed had on his coat. Reluctantly, I took it off and set it on the counter. I turned to step into the shower when I caught sight of something between my shoulder blades.

It looked like a scar, but it was black. My mind went back to something about an ancient practice used for tattooing people. A blade and soot. I ran my fingers along the raised tissue tenderly, wincing at the pain it caused. It looked like some kind of alchemy circle; I couldn't make it out with my limited range of vision. For a second, I debated showing it to Edward, but something told me that wasn't a good idea.

With a sigh of confusion, I stepped into the shower.

* * *

><p>I stared at myself in the mirror. There was nothing incredibly special about me, but something about Amestris had changed that. All of my pimples were gone, along with the small scar on the bridge of my nose. The last of my baby fat had vanished, leaving me with a simple and flat body shape. My mousy brown hair hadn't changed. It still barely passed my shoulder blades and retained the waviness I had inherited from my mom. Admittedly, my brown eyes were a bit bigger, but they were still only that, large doe-like brown eyes.<p>

I sighed and pulled on the blue button up dress Alphonse had got me. To my surprise, it fit perfectly. Maybe that was just the way of a real-life anime world. I yanked on a black cardigan, scraping my hair back into a ponytail. I noticed a shoe box and small collection of tights at the bottom of the bag. There was no way Alphonse could have known exactly what to get for a girl and he was much too shy to ask a store clerk for help.

I facepalmed myself. He asked Ross. Of course! I was bound to be faced with questions. Now there was going to be a lot more, considering they probably thought I was more or less living with the Elrics. I guess I technically was though...

I shook my head as I eased the tights up my legs, which were hairless... Something I found a bit strange. Not because I didn't shave, but because they were completely hairless, no stubble or anything. Anime worlds... Strange places, you see. A small giggle escaped me at that thought as I pulled on the black boots.

Damn, these were some cute shoes. What? I may be a social outcast, but I'm still a girl. I stood, opening the door with the plastic bag on my arm and my dirty clothes bundled into one arm.

I paused when I saw Alphonse and Edward sitting on the couch, discussing something. Ed looked up first, dropping the pencil he was holding as he stared at me. I suddenly felt very self-conscious and he looked away. Alphonse looked over, "Oh good, they fit you! Ross said they would."

Once again, Edward dropped his pencil and looked up at his younger brother, "You asked Ross for help?"

Alphonse turned to his brother, "Of course, I can't buy girl's clothes. It would be embarrassing."

"Did Ross say anything when you asked her to help you?" Edward asked carefully.

"No... She did get this really weird smile though."

Edward slammed his head against the table with a groan. "Great. Just great."

"Did I do something wrong?" Alphonse questioned, seeming confused.

"No, no," I tried to calm him down. "Thank you, Alphonse."

Alphonse nodded his head and said in a joyful tone, "I got you some food."

He picked up the bag, holding it out to me. I peered inside and saw several still warm doughnuts. My eyes widened before I reached inside and withdrew one with chocolate frosting. Edward and Alphonse watched me curiously as I nibbled it like a squirrel. I only paused once to look at them, "What?"

"Nothing!" they replied simultaneously.

I moved to sit down next to Edward, "What are you doing?"

He looked at me before gesturing to the collection of books. A look of dawning appeared on my face when I saw the texts about the Philosopher's Stone. Then, my brows furrowed. Where was I in the series? Nina was gone, but Ed was fine and we were definitely not in Resembool. Where were we anyways? Her eyes drifted back over to the doughnut bag: _Central City Sweets_.

Where were Brosh and Ross then? I glanced over at Edward ten turned away and said nonchalantly, "I heard there's a State Alchemist killer on the loose."

The brothers looked up at me with surprise. "That's classified information," Edward told me in a warning tone.

Did Ed ever tell me he was a State Alchemist? No, I don't think he did. He disappeared before he took the State Alchemist test. I leaned back against the couch, "Then I wonder how you know it..."

Edward's eyes widened and he grabbed me by the arm, leading me to the bedroom. I gasped when he slammed the door behind him. "Brother? Brother!" Alphonse called through the door.

"How the hell do you know that, Celia?"

I stepped away, reaching out my hands behind me so I didn't hit anything. My fingers came in contact with the nightstand and I stopped. "I know a lot of things, Ed," I whispered, despite trying to say it confidently.

"Like what? What could you possibly know besides what I told you all those years ago. I recall that you vanished before I met Mustang. Before I got automail. Before I became a State Alchemist," he stepped towards me.

"Liore. Shou Tucker. A little girl named Nina and her dog Alexander," I recited as I stepped around the bed slowly.

"Stop," he whispered softly.

"Tim Marcoh. Scar. Your search for the Philosopher's Stone. I do have to wonder how you got away from Brosh and Ross last night though..."

Ed suddenly slammed me against the wall, knocking the wind out of me. His expression was desperate, searching, "H-how do you know these things?"

I looked away, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"When have I ever not believed you, Celia? When?" he gripped my chin loosely and made me look into his amber eyes. I could get lost in those eyes, but I don't think I'd want to come out. "Tell me..."

"Because, in my world, you're nothing more than a character in a book," I told him and he dropped his hand. "So is Alphonse and Winry and Armstrong and Mustang and Hawkeye. Where I come from, they aren't real."

He stepped back, looking betrayed. I sat down on the ground and looked up at him. A few seconds of silence passed between us. "I knew you wouldn't believe me," I said in a soft and defeated tone.

"How could I?" he questioned, sitting down on his bed.

"Have you gotten the manuscript from Sheska yet?" I questioned.

Edward looked at me with pure fury and I shrank back against the wall. No one had ever looked at me that way before. "You probably already know the answer to that question," he snapped before he walked out of the room.

The door slammed behind him, making me jump. I was alone in the small room, a room filled with his scent. I pulled my legs up to my chest, resting my chin on them. He left me again. Just like before, but this time, I knew the reason. I heard the door to the apartment close and the air filled with silence. Panic set in. Edward should know that he can't just leave me like that. What if he never came back? What if I was going to be alone forever? He knew about my abandonment problems. He knew I was going to have an anxiety attack. He should know...

And for once, I was completely alone.

* * *

><p><em>Third Person POV<em>

"Brother? Brother?" Alphonse called after Edward worriedly as Brosh and Ross followed at a distance. How they had given them the slip yesterday, he'd never find out. "Edward!"

Ed paused, his shoulders heaving. His hair was still a mess, his clothing wrinkled, his jacket on crookedly. "What?!" he snapped and spun around to face his younger brother.

Alphonse stopped walking, "What happened?"

"A lot, Al! A hell of a lot!" he turned around again, his hands clenching into fists.

The younger Elric blinked before speaking, "You seem close to Celia."

Edward froze, his breath still stalled in his throat. "You didn't meet her at the library, did you?" Alphonse confirmed.

His brother shook his head and the boy trapped in the armor sighed, "I'm not going to ask how you know each other, but I need to know what she did to make you so angry."

"She lied..."

"How do you know she lied?"

"Because what she told me was so preposterous, no one would believe it."

"Says my brother who knows there are things out there people can't even begin to imagine?"

Edward breathed out softly, "It's impossible though."

"Nothing's impossible, Brother. We should go back. We kind of left without saying anything to Celia."

The older brother's eyes widened as if he had just remembered something. "Shit!" he shoved past Alphonse and their bodyguards, racing down the street.

Alphonse stared after him before following his example. Edward entered the apartment and went straight to the bedroom. Celia was in the same place he had left her, curled up into a ball. She had her hands clamped over her ears, her breathing coming out quickly and choked. All of the anger he had directed at her vanished as he ran up to her. "Celia, Celia, calm down, It's okay. I'm right here."

Tears streamed down her face as she continued to repeat something to herself under her breath. Edward forced her hands off her ears and made her look at him. "Celia, you have to calm down."

She looked at him for a second before suddenly latching onto him. He wrapped his arms around her and she eventually quieted down. "Sorry. I'm so sorry," he whispered over and over again.

"I-I thought you were going to leave me again..." she choked out. "I thought- I thought-"

Edward looked over at Alphonse, who stood in the doorway. "Get some water."

Alphonse nodded and disappeared, returning a moment later with a glass of water. He handed it to Celia and she drank it quickly as she tried to slow her breathing. "Are you okay?" Alphonse questioned the brunette girl.

She nodded while she stared down at the now empty cup. "She has really bad anxiety," Edward explained. "Especially when people leave her alone unexpectedly."

Without a word, Alphonse hit Edward's head. Ed spun around on his little brother, "What the hell was that for?!"

"You knew that and you left anyways?!"

Ed glared at Al, "I forgot okay? I was angry!"

Celia giggled and the two brother's looked over at her. Ed sighed in relief; she was fine. "What do we have here?"

The three swung their head around to see Brosh and Ross standing in the doorway. Edward immediately moved in front of Celia to block her from view. "So that's what you needed the clothes for..." Ross mumbled. "I was wondering."

"We can explain," they all exclaimed at the same time.

Brosh shook his head before smiling at Edward, "I knew you had it in you, sir!"

"What?!" Ed flailed his arms around, which sent Celia into another one of her giggling fits.

She stood up and walked over to the two officers, "Hello, my name's Celia Anderson."

They blinked at her, looked at each other, then blinked again. "_The_ Celia Anderson?" Ross questioned.

Celia tilted her head in confusion, "Yes?"


	4. Three: The Poisoned Alchemist

_I'm so sorry about all the errors in the last chapter, I was half-asleep when I wrote it. I hope this one is better._

* * *

><p><strong><span>Three: The Poisoned Alchemist<span>**

Once again, Brosh and Ross looked at each other and I looked at them, then back at Ed and Alphonse in confusion. What was so strange about my name. Suddenly, Ross's gun was out of its holster and pointed at me. I stared into the barrel blankly before it dawned on me that she was aiming for my head. Ed reacted before I did, jumping in front of me. "What the hell's wrong with you, Ross?!"

Brosh also withdrew his gun. "Why are you impersonating Celia Anderson?"

"I-impersonating?" I asked in confusion. "I _am_ Celia Anderson."

"Celia Anderson disappeared over a year ago," Ross informed me and my eyebrows furrowed. I was standing right here though. "She was the Poisoned Alchemist, the first and only female State Alchemist in history."

"Why have I never heard about her?" Ed questioned. He seemed just as confused as I was.

"Apparently, she went rogue. At least, that's what the stories say. We aren't supposed to talk about her."

I blinked once. Twice. Looked at Edward. Looked back at Ross and Brosh. Maybe it was just best to play along... A sweet smile covered my face and I tilted my head, "Okay, you caught me. Take me to HQ, if you must. I didn't desert the military though. I can tell you all about what happened on our way there."

Ross and Brosh seemed taken aback with surprise and they lowered their guns before quickly raising them again. "How do we know you're telling the truth?"

Truth... How I longed to kick that thing's ass. I shrugged, "I can't prove anything to you. Maybe an alchemy demonstration?"

They looked at each other and Ross nodded, "Show us some of your poison alchemy."

Aha! That was the alchemy this so-called State Alchemist with my name used. I stepped back and grinned brightly. I didn't clap my hands together. No, Ed would question that. I simply took a piece of chalk that was sitting on the nightstand and drew a transmutation circle from memory. It wasn't until I was done that I realized I had never seen one like that before. I placed my hands on the circle, thinking back to both the lessons Ed gave me as a kid and what I had learned in chemistry class.

Soon, a dark fog filled the room, dark gray in color. Ed, Ross, and Brosh slapped their hands over their mouths and so did I. "Tada!" I said, my voice muffled by the skin of my hand. "Sleeping gas!"

Then, I put my hands back on the circle again as I held my breath. The fog vanished and the three across from me breathed out in relief. Even Alphonse seemed to be a bit startled. It's difficult to read the emotions of a suit of armor. "Yup, definitely the Poisoned Alchemist. No one else knows how to use that technique..." Ross mumbled.

I was feeling very lightheaded, but I pushed myself up, secretly using the nightstand for support. Nothing got past Ed though and he eyed me skeptically. I winked at him while Brosh and Ross were deep in discussion and his expression relaxed a small bit. The two soldiers turned back to me and Ross smiled, "It wonderful to meet you, ma'm!"

"Um..." I shifted. "You don't have to call me that."

"What happened to you though?" Brosh asked as he put his gun away. "Everyone thought you deserted."

I looked away awkwardly, "Well, you see... I was kidnapped by these people from the East and they forced me to work as a servant to their Emperor. I don't know what happened, but I couldn't use alchemy. It was very strange. Anyways, I only just escaped because some person blew up a building and I was able to get away. Once I came back to Amestris, my alchemy worked fine. I nearly died crossing the desert. It took me forever to get back to Central City when I passed out from exhaustion. It's difficult for me to fall asleep on trains... Then, Edward and Alphonse found me. I was hoping for a day off before I returned to HQ to tell them the truth."

By the time I finished, I was looking into their eyes with a pleading look that I hoped said Believe me! It's the truth!

They nodded before grabbing me by the arm. Edward and Alphonse followed quietly.

The next thing I knew, I was standing in front of the intimidating Armstrong as I repeated the same story. I thanked my mind profusely for coming up with a relatively believable story. Then, I was dragged in front of the Fuhrer. My knees almost buckled under me. This homunculus. The things he was capable of. I dearly wished I could just tell them the truth and get it over with. I would probably be arrested for treason against the Fuhrer though. That was one part of the story I had to let unravel by itself.

It was just him and me in his office. After hearing my story, he spun on his heel. "We both know you're lying," he said. "And we both know the truth here. However, Father said I can't kill you because he wants to know more about you and how exactly you appeared out of nowhere with the identity of a girl I disposed of years ago and with the knowledge of how to use her alchemy, a technique no one but she knew."

My heart stopped. Disposed? He killed the Celia Anderson of this world? I didn't say anything. I continued to look at him stoically. Bradley walked closer to me, practically leering at me. "We're going to act like this really happened, like you're really the Celia Anderson everyone thinks you are. If Father finds use for you, we might just let you live," he suddenly grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "If not... Well, you know. Welcome back to the military, Poisoned Alchemist."

I blinked blankly at the silver pocket watch in his outstretched hand before taking it from him. He sent me out of the room and I left it with shaky legs. I felt like I was going to collapse. Ed grabbed my arm to steady me when the door closed. "You okay?" he questioned.

Ross and Brosh weren't in the hall. They probably weren't that far though. Still, they were out of sight, which meant we were out of their sight. I leaned heavily against him. He didn't move, but he looked down at me with curiosity. "Sorry, first transmutation and I have to start running around," I muttered.

"What was all that?" he questioned, his voice just as soft as mine.

I shook my head, "I honestly don't know. It was best to go along with it."

My gaze drifted to the pocket watch clenched tightly in my hand and Edward looked down at it too. One of my greatest wishes and darkest nightmares had come true in the span of ten minutes. I was a State Alchemist, "dog of the military". "Woof, woof," I grumbled forlornly and Ed put his hand on my shoulder.

It was a comforting gesture, one that had not been unfamiliar when we were kids. Now, it only made me blush. I didn't move away though. I could never consciously move away from him. "Don't think I'm letting you go that easily," he whispered, making me jump. "Is what you told me true? About the story?"

"Ed," I looked him right in the eyes, keeping my voice steady, but quiet. "Would I lie to you? The only friend I've ever had? Plus, you can always tell when I'm lying. You knew from the beginning that story was a hoax."

He chuckled, "That's because you blink twice before you lie."

Suddenly, I was conscious of how close we were. I could feel his breath on my face. We both blushed deeply and he moved back a step. Suddenly, Brosh and Ross came around the corner with Alphonse. "Great news!" Brosh exclaimed. "Sheska finished copying the book!"

Happiness flashed across Ed's face as he grinned. "Alright!" he exclaimed and he spun to face me. "Isn't that great, Celia?"

Dread filled me just as quickly as joy had filled him. He was going to learn the ingredients for a Philosopher's Stone and it was going to crush him.


	5. Four: The Price of Alchemy

**Four: The Price of Alchemy**

I rolled the watch between my fingers again. The metal was warm in my hand and once or twice Brosh and Ross had hissed at me to put it away. Scar could be anywhere. My hands always found it again though, even in my pocket. Even so, my eyes flickered for any sign of the State Alchemist Killer. I was a State Alchemist now, which meant I was at as much risk as Edward. Of course, most people didn't seem to know I existed. I was safe for now.

When Sheska came out with the manuscript, I stared at it with no readable expression. Inside, my stomach wanted to heave out the small breakfast I had eaten. The knowledge it contained was something no one should ever know. The world seemed to move in slow motion as Al and Ed spoke with her. I walked backwards slowly and Ed turned to look at me, "Are you okay, Celia?"

I looked at the pile of pages before glancing back at the people watching me curiously, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I think I'm going to go look around."

With a couple of light steps, I left the room, only to walk right into a bespectacled man. I stared at him and my heart nearly stopped while he blinked at me blankly. "Celia? Is that really you?!" he exclaimed after a moment before grabbing my hand and shaking it vigorously. "Does Roy know you're back? Riza?"

Did the Celia of this world know them in some way? I was going to have to do some digging; just not here. "Hey, Maes," I greeted the older man with a smile. "No, only the Fuhrer knows I'm back. And Armstrong."

"Well, won't it be a surprise then! Hey, have you met the Fullmetal Alchemist yet? I'm kind of looking for him."

I swallowed heavily, "Um, yeah. He's in there."

"Great. We have to catch up later. You haven't met Elysia, have you? Oh, she's absolutely wonderful. Do you want to see a picture?"

Before he could rip out his arsenal of pictures, I waved my hands in front of me frantically. "I'd love to Maes, but I have important stuff to do right now."

"Oh," his smile dropped and I felt like I'd stabbed him through the heart. I winced slightly at the thought. He was still alive, at least he was for now.

"I'll come by and visit soon," I promised and started walking away. Before he entered the room, I spun around. "Be careful, Maes."

He watched me leave with a slightly confused expression before shrugging and wandering into the room. I rounded the corner, slamming against the wall as I breathed out heavily. Why did I have to burdened with the knowledge of what would happen to people in Amestris? I would have given anything in that moment to be ignorant. "Ignorance is bliss," I muttered in a half-sarcastic way. My hands clenched into fists. "But knowledge is power."

Could I really change the fate of the people in this world? I doubted it, but at the same time... It seemed possible... I turned my head towards the window directly in front of me. A bird fluttered by and I followed its flight pattern. Flying must be a beautiful thing. You can just leave the world behind and never look back. I stood up and walked over to the glass. It felt cool against my fingertips as I started at the endless blue of the sky. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. If only everything could be as clear.

I sighed. I needed to let off some steam.

Black.

I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the endless black from my mind, but it didn't help much. Small dark dots still danced in front of my vision as I looked around. I wasn't in the library anymore. Instead, I was standing in the middle of an alleyway. A sharp pain raced through my skull and I winced before looking down.

A man was collapsed on the ground in front of me, clutching his leg, where a kitchen knife protruded out of it. In fact, his entire body was carved up. I should've helped him up. Instead, I tilted my head as feelings and senses slowly trickled back to my body. Hearing. The man was crying for someone to stop. He said he was sorry. Smell. The alley reeked of blood and some kind of sulfurous scent. Touch. Something was dripping from my fingertips. Startled, I stared at my hands.

Blood dripped from my fingertips onto the ground. It wasn't my blood. It was... I looked back at the man on the ground and gasped. His. I stepped backwards until I was outside of the alley. My feet moved by themselves as I turned and ran, stopping in front of the first bathroom I saw.

Tears streamed down my face as I tried to scrub the blood off. Under his blood was some of my own. My knuckles were cracked open and there was a small cut on my palm. When the red didn't completely rub off, my stomach heaved. I threw myself in front of the toilet, acid burning its way up my throat. Slowly, I turned back to the mirror. There was no way I hurt that man. It was impossible. Even when he was crying like a baby, I could tell he was taller and stronger than I was. I didn't have any training. I wasn't like Ed. I couldn't just jump into a fight.

"Let me help you with that."

I spun around to find a girl around my age dressed in a dress and apron enter the bathroom. I tried hiding my bloodstained hands behind my back, but she shook her head. She took each hand into her own. "Thank you," she said quietly as she dropped them and took out a handkerchief.

"What?" I questioned, my eyes following her movement as she ran the white cloth under hot water.

"For saving me. You took down that man when he was trying to mug me."

"I doubt it was just mugging," I mumbled. That man looked like a pig.

She giggled quietly as she guided the fabric over my wounds. I was surprised by how gentle her touch was. Then again, she seemed like a sweet girl. "I would've found you sooner, but I had to get these," she showed me a roll of bandages and some kind of rubbing alcohol.

I held my breath as she dumped the alcohol over my knuckles and my palm. It burned, but at least the wounds wouldn't get infected. The girl wrapped my fingers and palm individually before stepping back to look at her work, "There."

I stared at the bandages in wonder. "Thank you," I breathed out softly.

"It's the least I can do," she replied before smiling brightly. "The name's Nelly."

"Celia," I replied with a weaker smile.

The girl noticed the lack luster of it and shook her head, "Of course, you must be exhausted."

Now that she mentioned it, I kind of was. "We can go back to my house and you can rest there," she suggested with a kind smile.

"I don't know. My friends might be worried about me. Can you show me to the library?"

She nodded, "Of course."

* * *

><p>I thanked Nelly when we arrived at the library and she smiled again in reply. "Promise me you'll be more careful?" I asked quietly.<p>

She gave me a small salute, "Yes, ma'm!"

With a small wave, I disappeared into the building. I waited until she left to turn around and wander back to Ed and Al's apartment. If Nelly was right, then I definitely hurt that man like that. It didn't make sense though. I should remember something like that. The last thing I could remember was staring out the window at the library. Then... Nothing...

I pushed open the door to the apartment after using the spare key Ed gave me. With a sigh, I flopped onto the bed I had been sleeping in and stared at my bandaged hands. How was I going to explain this to Ed? I didn't even know what happened. Groaning, I dropped my head onto the pillow as darkness caved in.

* * *

><p>"It's bullshit!"<p>

I opened my eyes wearily, seeing sunlight filtering in through the window across from me. How long had I been out. If I was right, it took Ed and Al more than a few days to decoded Marcoh's research. I must've been out for days. "Brother, calm down."

"No, Al, I won't calm down! What is fucking wrong with the world? Why does it have to be so difficult? Why does everything have to go wrong for us?!" he screamed. There is a slight waver in his voice, but I knew he wasn't going to cry.

I swung my legs out of the bed and tried to stand, but my legs collapsed underneath me. I threw my hands out in front of me, barely catching myself. "What was that?" Al wondered aloud.

"Probably nothing," Ed grumbled and a few moments of silence passed. "Wait. Celia?"

Before he could open the door, I bounced back up onto the bed. My legs still tingled when the door flew open and Ed marched in. "Celia Anderson! Where the hell have you been!" he practically yelled, obviously still frustrated.

"It's a bit of a long story..." I answered, avoiding his golden gaze.

I could feel his eyes on my bandages as he lifted up my hands. "What the hell did you do to your hands?!"

"Brother, calm down," Al said from behind him.

Ed's grip tightened on my wrist. "Do you have any idea what we learned from Marcoh's research?!" his grip continued to tighten until I can feel my wrist bruising. "Do you?!"

I let out a small yelp and Alphonse practically ripped his older brother away from me. "Stop!" he yelled, "You're hurting her."

Ed slumped against the wall while I rubbed my wrist carefully, wiping away the tears forming in my eyes. "Sorry, Celia. I just..."

"It's okay," I replied quietly.

Alphonse pulled my fingers away from my wrist tot inspect my hands. "Did you get in a fight?" he questioned.

I noticed Ed looking up slightly with his bangs still obscuring his eyes from view. I shrugged and eased out of the younger Elric's grip. "It wasn't a big deal. Just stopped some guy from mugging a girl. I came back here and crashed. Honestly, I think I might have been out for a few days and I'm starving."

"I don't think I can ever eat again," Ed whispered

I lowered my head and silence fell over us. There was no telling how long it would last. After a few seconds, I stood, using the nightstand to balance myself. Once sensation returned to my legs I started to walk out of the bedroom. When I passed Ed, he reached out, his automail latching onto my hand. He ran the fingers over my skin gently, "Be more careful next time, okay?"

"Okay..." I said as he dropped my hand.

I hurried down to the lobby, past a concerned Maria and Brosh, and picked up the phone there as I ripped out a piece of paper in my pocket. After three rings, someone picked up. "Nelly?" I questioned quietly. "I'd like to take up that offer of staying at your place."

She didn't ask any questions, just answered with a quick and simple, "Of course. Where should I come get you?"

I set the phone back down with a sigh. There was no way I could stay in that apartment with them when they are in this state. I'd come back in a week. After a quick visit with Brosh and Maria, telling them where I'd be, I packed the suitcase Alphonse bought me. They were still in the bedroom. I needed to give them space, but then I'd whoop their butts back into action. It was just a matter of time.

* * *

><p><em>Hope you liked it. Please leave a comment because comments inspire me to write more. ^.^<em>


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